The City of Vancouver is launching re:THINK Housing, a global ideas competition to create affordable housing solutions for Vancouver.

Affordable housing consistently ranks as a top concern amongst Vancouver residents, and re:THINK Housing seeks to generate big, bold and innovative ideas for new affordable housing.

“Affordable housing is one of the toughest challenges we face in Vancouver, and we need fresh, bold thinking in terms of how we build affordable options for the people who live and work in our city,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “This competition is an important step to getting dynamic, maybe even controversial ideas into the public realm and hearing directly from our citizens.”

Building on the success of the re:CONNECT ideas competition, in which the City fielded concepts for the Viaducts and False Creek Flats, re:THINK Housing will solicit ideas for site-specific locations in Vancouver, as well as smaller, replicable solutions for neighbourhoods throughout the city.

Applicants may submit proposals for public or private land in two categories: Building Bold, and Vibrant Neighbourhoods. Each proposal must explain how affordability will be maintained over the long term without government subsidy. It should also include ideas on how a project would protect and enhance green space; integrate with neighbourhoods; and be financially viable.

Winning submissions will be announced in late July, and a total of $8,000 in prize money will be distributed to the winners as selected by the jury. All winners will see their ideas published in Spacing Magazine.

As part of the new community planning processes and in support of re:THINK Housing, storytelling nights based on the theme “There’s No Place Like Home” are being held in three Vancouver neighbourhoods. The events, which are free and open to all Vancouverites, aim to inspire, entertain and motivate thinking about housing and community. The first one was held Tuesday night in Marpole, and two more are upcoming: